Magical Play: The Saga
by Incanto
Summary: Join Tomo's distant relative Padudu in her quest to become a Magical Girl, in the face of deceit and treachery. This is my take on Magical Play, another Azuma title and precursor of Azumanga. No knowledge of MP neccesary! Honestly, it'll be fun.
1. Introduction

**Introduction**: 'Magical Play' was a series co-created by Azuma (he did the character design, some other guy directed) before Azumanga and Yotsuba&. For reasons that I _cannot fathom_, it was cut short after only four episodes, so this story is my attempt to flesh things out. If you haven't seen it, I _highly_ recommend it – it's sort of a cross between Azumanga and Excel Saga – but you don't need to have seen it, I hope, to enjoy this story. If you like Azumanga, chances are you'll be right at home. So seriously, stick around: good times are promised.

—Incanto

**The story so far:** Everyone knows what it means to be a Magical Girl: the opportunity to battle evil, wear frilly costumes and most importantly, make tons and tons of cash through endorsements and diversified merchandise sales! The Magical Girl is an inspiration to preteen girls across the globe, a beacon of hope and light to all mankind. But the sad and unknown fact is that, for every Sailor Moon or Pretty Sammy, there are scores of those who _didn't_ make it: hopefuls from across the galaxy who set their sights on earth, but in the end fell short.

This is the story you don't see. This is the story of **Sweetland**, the merciless proving-ground where ambition is tested, friendship is strained and souls are forged on the anvil-stone of perdition. Here, Magical Girl hopefuls battle one and other in order to collect _hanamaru_ – stamps – and ultimately for the chance to become the Earth's next It Girl.

What is the true essence of the Magical Girl? Is it sweetness and light, goodwill and friendship? Or is it simply the desire to get ahead by any means necessary, crushing those who might stand in your way? These and other questions will be answered as the continuing story of Magical Play unfolds.

**Characters**:

**Padudu** (aged 10 or so) has come to Sweetland from her native Sea Heaven, a sort of cosmic boondocks, as a Magical Girl hopeful. She is a dead ringer for a ten-year old Tomo Takino with pink hair.

**Uokichi** is Padudu's friend and companion, an enormous fish that she wears as a cloak – and eats. Fortunately, no matter how much of Uokichi's flesh is consumed, it's all grown back by tomorrow morning! And it doesn't even need to be cooked, although it tastes better that way. He can't talk, buts emit a piteous groan from time to time.

**Pipin** (aged fourteen or so) is a slightly older, and more seasoned, Magical hopeful. She bears a grudge against Padudu ever since, on the day of Padudu's arrival, Padudu fell from the sky on top of Pipin, costing her a match and a _hanamaru_. For a weapon, her costume's rabbit ears connect to form a blade not unlike Darth Maul's lightsaber. Her companion is **Sekine-kun**, a rabbit whom she wears as a backpack. She bears the vaguest resemblance to Kaorin, especially when angry.

**Myumyu** (aged sixteen or so), the final member of the trio of protagonists, is a powerful, canny and beautiful Magical hopeful. She puts on a innocent demeanor to insinuate herself into Padudu's confidence, but in fact she is cold and mercenary to the core. Her partners are **Kyal** and **Lkya**, two paper-thin cats, one white and one black, that resemble Chiyo's Father. They are also her only item of clothing.

**Queen Purlin **is Sweetland's resident despot and Big Sister. She appears to have climbed to power over the corpses of fallen allies, and is currently keeping an eye on Myumyu as a possible threat. Her costume has a flower motif.

**Zucchini Cachocarri** (aged twelve or so) is Queen Purlin's incompetent flunky and whipping-boy. He doesn't really have any skills or prowess to speak of, but his devotion to his mistress is absolute: when sent to spy on Myumyu, he is so wracked with guilt for considering her attractive that like Harry Potter's Dobby, he has a tendency to bash his head repeatedly against any convenient object. When Myumyu's cats, for any number of reasons, begin to lose their grip on her body, Zucchini is prone to a nosebleed of sufficient force to launch his body into the stratosphere.

**Nononon** **the Bully** is Sweetland's resident arch-criminal, or freedom fighter, depending on one's perspective. Like Padudu, she came from Sea Haven and befriended a young Queen Purlin, but, under circumstances shrouded in mystery, Purlin betrayed her. Now she seeks revenge, or possibly something nobler. Her partner is, or at least _was_, a hammerhead shark. Tall, statuesque and grim, she is clearly a distant relative of Sakaki-san.

**Mustard and Ketchup** are the entirety of Sweetland's police department. It is implied that they were placed there after of flunking out of a Magical Girl's academy, and neither is thrilled with her lot in life, or an especially effective officer of the law. Mustard is the ditzy one; Ketchup is the longsuffering one.


	2. The Queen's Immaculate Metaphors

It was rare that Queen Purlin had the opportunity to speak with an intelligent adult like herself.

"Tea?"

"No thank you."

"Please, don't stand on ceremony. Modesty doesn't become a royal guest."

"And pushiness doesn't become a monarch."

"Very well," said the Queen. "Let's get down to business."

She and her guest sat on the balcony, under the bright night sky of Sweet City, over the neon streets and plazas. In Sweet City it was perpetually night: Purlin found artificial lighting flattered her complexion.

The royal guest sat in the shadow under the balcony roof, obscured from sight. Purlin wasn't sure if it was coincidence, or a matter of conscious style.

She sipped her tea and said: "Daisy-petal tea like this, you know, is only good if the petals are picked on a certain day of the month. A day too early, and the flavor is too sour. A day late, and it's too sweet."

"I thought you said we were gonna get to business."

"Oh, but I am." She sipped again. Her eyes were fixed on the dark spiky shape of her companion's head. "This tea is rather like a human being. Isn't it?"

The figure in the shadows was silent. Next to it, leaning against the leg of the chair, was a large furry shape that moved subtly as it breathed in its sleep.

Purlin went on. "We wait all our lives for our one shining moment of potential. If we give up too soon, we lose it. If we wait too long, we lose it. But even if we have patience, and strike at _precisely the right time_…once the moment is past, it's past. And what is the rest of our brief life for?"

The shape by her guest's chair stirred; it wasn't asleep any longer. Raising itself up on four stubby legs, it looked at the Queen and let out a slow, angry growl.

Her guest reached down a hand. "Quiet, Monpuchi."

"My, my. Have I said something to offend…?"

"No," her guest lied, and looked away. "Your majesty."

"Good. Then allow me to outline my commission."

Purlin touched her mouth with a white satin napkin, then, with the slightest motion of her equally white hand, pushed the tea-tray away. It made a faint scrape against the table.

In a moment, a young boy in a page's uniform appeared at the tableside and bowed several times, ecstatically.

"Purlin-sama! Shall I remove this wicked offense from before you eyes?"

"Indeed, Zuchinni."

"Your highness! Were the cucumber sandwiches prepared to your specifications?"

Purlin gave a yawn the size of a dime, and quickly covered her mouth. "Yes, I suppose. Inform our friend Master Chef that I will spare his family…for the time being."

"At once, your grace!"

The boy, Zucchini, vanished in a trice with the empty tea-tray.

"Where'd you get that prize?" said Purlin's guest, looking after him.

"Poor Zucchini Cachocarri was an orphan. Out of the goodness of my heart—"

Her guest laughed softly.

"_Out of the goodness of my heart_, I took him in, and gave him food, lodgings, and a position."

"Can I borrow the kid? I need someone to haul my gear. I had a twerp, but he didn't outlive our last job…never was too sturdy."

Purlin hesitated. "Will he be in any danger?"

"Do birds have wings?"

"Then," said Purlin, with a faint smile, "by all means. Suffering builds character. And nothing is more crucial for a young man of poor Zucchini's sensitivity than character. You know, sometimes I fear I've spoiled him…"

"With all due respect, your royal highness," said her guest, stroking Monpuchi's head, "just give me the name. That's all I need."

"Beg pardon?"

"All I ever need is a name. A week later—" The guest snapped their fingers. "Problem solved."

Queen Purlin smiled. Although of course she couldn't tell, she suspected her guest was smiling as well.

"Our troublesome one," she said, "is another spoiled tea-leaf. Unfortunately, like so many of us, she doesn't seem realize. It's so sad, really…how some people simply can't accept when their time has come."

"Sometimes they need a little nudge?" the guest suggested.

"Mm. Precisely."

"The name?"

"Nononon. She's quite a popular girl: there are posters all over town with her picture. One couldn't miss them."

There was a pause.

"You look as if the name might be familiar," said the Queen.

"It might."

Her guest stood up; the chair scraped back.

"Leaving so soon?"

"You'd prefer the job get done this year, I assume."

"Very well, if you must. But drop by any time. I did so enjoy our little discussion…I rather hope that this will be the beginning of a long and profitable friendship."

Something in the way the Queen pronounced the word 'friendship' caused even her guest, who in profile was jagged, corded with muscle and weighted down with instruments that had no peacetime use, to shiver. They looked away.

"C'mon, Monpuchi."

Monpuchi got to his feet and trotted after his master, casting a last distrustful look at the Queen. The Queen looked back. The animal's eyes met something in hers that was purely animal. Monpuchi whimpered, and sprinted the rest of the way off the balcony with his tail between his legs.


End file.
